Not what she expected
by ginnys01
Summary: It's Ginny's first day at Hogwarts, but it doesn't quiet go to plan.


AN: one shot written for The Houses Competition round 1

House: Badgers

Class Subject: Transfiguration

Story Category: Standard

Prompt: [Prompt] First Day at a Wizarding School

one shot written for the QLFC round 11

Position prompt: **SEEKER: **A character has been placed in a different House to canon

Word count: 1757

Thanks to my fellow Badgers team members ViolaMoon and DarylDixon'sgirl1985 for beta-ing.

Thanks to my fellow Puddlemere united team members JBrocks917 for beta-ing.

* * *

As Ginny climbed into her bed, she reflected on her day. Today was supposed to have been amazing, but instead it had been filled with worry and disappointment. She didn't have a problem with getting up early and she hadn't rushed around trying to find everything she had forgotten—well, except for her diary. She had been so embarrassed when they went back for it. It wasn't until after they were back on their way to the station that she realised she could just have asked her mum to send it. Now all her brothers and Harry knew that she had a diary.

Saying goodbye to her parents hadn't been anything like Ginnyexpected. She thought they would arrive, her brothers would help with her trunk, and then she would say goodbye before getting on the train and waving as the train left. Instead, time was short, and she had been given a quick hug and pushed into Percy's arms. She knew that it wasn't what her mum wanted to do, but it was a result of running late and neither Ron nor Harry appearing on the platform. Even though her mum tried to keep her focus on Ginny, it was obvious that her thoughts were on the missing boys.

Even though her parents and her older brothers, who were present, tried not to show worry about the missing boys, Ginny couldn't help but worry. Why hadn't Harry and Ron shown up on the platform? When Percy left Ginny to go to the prefect meeting, Ginny had felt lost. She had hoped to sit with Ron, or maybe see a familiar face, but she didn't. It wasn't long until Hermione found her and invited her into the carriage she was sharing with some other Gryffindors. When she managed to tell Hermione what had happened, it was obvious that Hermione was not impressed, but she tried to hide it to help Ginny feel better. Ginny hated the fact that she spent most of the train ride worrying about her brother and Harry. She mainly hated how worried she was about Harry—yes it was Harry Potter, but she had hardly spoken to him in the four weeks he had spent at the Burrow.

If she had thought she would see Ron and Harry when she arrived at Hogwarts, she had been wrong. After being separated to follow Hagrid with the other first years, she didn't get a chance to speak to any of her brothers again. Nor did she manage to see either Ron or Harry. She had been stuck with the other first years waiting to be sorted; when they walked into the Great Hall, she had managed to get a glimpse of Percy and the twins, but that was it.

If she thought her day couldn't get worse, she had been wrong, so wrong. Her nerves got worse with each minute passing until finally her name was called.

"Weasley, Ginevra!"

Ginny walked up to the sorting hat. She had never been so nervous in her life.

Ginny didn't know what she was expecting, but the hat talking to her definitely wasn't it.

"What do we have here? Another Weasley?"

Ginny almost nodded but realised that the hat was reading her mind, so she just thought it instead. She also thought about being a Gryffindor. She was a Weasley after all. There had not been a single Weasley that hadn't been sorted into Gryffindor.

"Gryffindor would be a good match, but I don't think it's the perfect one. Yes, you are brave, but you are also determined. You have ambition. I see a mind quite similar to that of some of your brothers."

Ginny hadn't been sure what to think. If Gryffindor wasn't her perfect match, would the hat sort her somewhere else? But if she was like some of her brothers, she would be a Gryffindor, even if she hadn't been happy about being called similar to some of them. She wanted to be her own person; not just the little Weasley girl. She was more than just the youngest Weasley and more than just the only Weasley girl.

"And those thoughts are what makes you more suitable to a different house, and I know just which one."

No, Ginny wanted to be Gryffindor, she had to be a Gryffindor.

But alas, it wasn't to be, as the hat shouted: "Slytherin!"

Ginny had sat frozen on her chair. She couldn't be a Slytherin, she just couldn't be! When she glanced at the Gryffindor table to look for her brothers, she saw shock on their faces.

Ginny couldn't remember walking to the Slytherin table or eating. She did, however, remember Malfoy saying something about 'Weaslette in Slytherin', she wasn't sure what he had said exactly because she had been too shocked to listen.

The rest of the night had passed in a blur; when the others stood up, she followed, but she didn't register any information. Ginny was sure that the meeting in the common room had been important, but she couldn't tell you anything about it. Her mind kept switching between shock at being in Slytherin and worry about what her family would say. It almost came as a relief when the girl sitting next to her pulled her up and dragged her to their bedroom.

Ginny was sure she wouldn't be able to sleep that night. How could she? She was to busy worrying about the next day. It wasn't until hours later when Ginny had finally exhausted herself with worry, that she fell asleep.

*HPHPHP*

When Ginny wakes up the next morning, it takes her a minute to realise where she is. As soon as she remembers the previous day, she can't help but start to worry again. What will her parents say? What will her brothers say? Ron, what happened to him? Her mind is filled with questions, and as much as Ginny wants to hide in her bed all day, she knows that she can't. The sooner she heads for breakfast, the sooner she will see her brothers. Even if her brothers refuse to speak to her, at least she will know. It's the not knowing that Ginny finds the worst.

As soon as her dorm mates are ready to leave, they all make their way to the common room.

"Morning firsties, let's get you down to breakfast."

It isn't something that Ginny was expecting, and it must be visible on her face, as the girl next to her quickly whispers, "They told us last night that they would guide us until the weekend. After that, we're on our own."

Ginny nods, and sends a small smile as thanks towards the girl, making a note to try and get to know her. It doesn't take long for the Slytherins to arrive in the Great Hall, where they are quickly led to their seats. Ginny didn't realise how hungry she was until she started to eat. It isn't until Professor Snape passes by with the time tables that Ginny looks up from her plate.

"I hope all of you listened to my speech carefully yesterday and remember the rules. There will be no exceptions for anyone." Is Ginny imagining it, or did Snape linger longer on her than any of the others? Does he know that Ginny didn't hear a word of what was said last night?

Before Ginny can say anything, the same girl as earlier, leans in and whispers, "I'll update you when we get to the common room."

Once again, Ginny finds herself giving the girl a grateful nod. It's only at this point that Ginny realises that she is facing the Gryffindor table. She starts looking for her brothers; she needs some type of hint to what they are thinking. Are they angry at her? Will they treat her the same or will they ignore her? Unfortunately none of her brothers appear in the Great Hall before the rest of the Slytherins start to move, so she has to leave with them.

While Ginny enjoys her day, and starts the occasional conversation with some of the other Slytherin girls, she still has the worry about her brothers in the back of her mind keeping her distracted throughout the day.

It isn't until near lunchtime when she finds herself grabbed and pulled into an empty classroom. Just as Ginny is about to scream, she notices that her kidnappers are her older twin brothers. Ginny can't help it, a smile appears on her face as she launches herself forward into their arms.

"Well, Gred, I think this answers the question, Ickle Gin-Gin hasn't been corrupted by the Slytherins."

"You're not angry with me, are you?" Ginny finally asks, still slightly afraid that they might reject her. The smiles on her brothers' faces tell Ginny that she is fine.

"Don't worry, Gin, you will always be our little sister."

"It doesn't matter that you're in Slytherin."

"The only reason we're not—"

"—is because we used each other." At Ginny's questioning look they elaborated. "Fred told the hat that if he wasn't in the same house as me, it would regret it, and since I was definitely a Gryffindor, Fred had to be too."

"George then went along a similar route, except I had already been sorted." Ginny can't help but be relieved, that's two brothers down, two more to go.

"What about Ron and Percy?" Ginny isn't sure if she wants the answer, she had heard Ron talk about Slytherin all holiday, and he hadn't said a single positive word. The look on the twins' faces doesn't do anything to reassure Ginny.

"Well, Percy wants to talk to you. We think he's more in shock about you being a Slytherin than he is about you being sorted there. We don't think he saw it coming." Once again, Ginny feels relief appearing. That only left Ron, she's closest to Ron; or maybe she isn't anymore?

"Ron on the other hand. He's being Ron." The positive feeling that Ginny has disappears immediately.

"Don't worry, he'll come around." Ginny nods, but doesn't really believe it. This is Ron after all and she knows Ron.

"Cheer up, Gin," Fred continues after seeing Ginny's face

"You still have us," George takes over, knowing that tennis speak always takes Ginny's mind off her thoughts, as she focuses on following each twin as they banter back and forth.

"And we're not going anywhere," they finished together. Ginny manages to crack a smile. Maybe the year won't be as bad as she thought.


End file.
